Hennessy’s Year of the Fire Horse Pop-Up at Singapore Changi Airport

Context and Objectives

For brands, Lunar New Year (LNY) is prime time in Asia’s travel retail. Hennessy – a Cognac house with a 160+-year history in China – created an LNY pop-up at Changi Airport Terminal 1 (Jan 9–Mar 4, 2026) in partnership with Lotte Duty Free. Branded as a “Changi 1st” experience, it was Hennessy’s largest LNY activation in global travel retail to date and set the tone for Asia-Pacific deployments. (For comparison, competitor Martell ran a similar “Year of the Horse” exhibit at Changi T3 during Jan–Feb 2026.) Airports like Changi see massive Asian holiday travel surges, so duty-free sales can spike dramatically – for example Hainan duty-free saw +93.8% sales on New Year’s Day 2026 versus 2025. Hennessy’s goal was to capitalize on this demand, using festive design and events to engage travellers and build long-term brand equity.

The pop-up’s visual centerpiece is a bold red-and-copper sculptural “fire horse,” echoing Hennessy’s limited-edition Year of the Fire Horse bottles. Moët Hennessy describes this as a “sculptural visual identity” of movement, energy and forward momentum. The installation’s color palette and imagery match the new giftable Cognac bottles (V.S.O.P, X.O, Paradis) in this collection. Large graphic elements – including oversized “2026” frames and red-packet motifs – create Instagram-friendly moments. The special Cognac bottles are displayed in the centre, each adorned with a galloping horse design in metallic copper on red. Even the gift boxes are premium (refined presentation) yet fully recyclable, reinforcing the luxury positioning and sustainability focus. Overall, the pop-up blends Hennessy’s heritage with modern Asian design, creating an eye-catching destination for busy travellers.

The activation launched with a high-profile ceremony on 22 January 2026. Hennessy leaders, Lotte Singapore executives and Changi officials attended the lighting of the horse sculpture and a traditional lion dance. Media reports note that the pop-up was officially opened by Hennessy’s President/CEO and partners. This elaborate kick-off – complete with celebratory toasts – underscored the cultural significance of the campaign and generated early buzz. By linking the brand to familiar New Year rituals, Hennessy signaled that this was a festive experience (not just a sale). The launch event also reinforces brand legitimacy: as Changi’s Hung Jean noted, the pop-up “brings a sense of occasion into the journey” and enriches travellers’ dwell time.

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Experiential Features

The Hennessy pop-up combined product discovery with multi-sensory engagement. Travellers could sample special cocktails and cognac pairings tailored for Lunar New Year, mirroring the gifting spirit of the season. Key offerings included:

• Signature Cocktails on Tap: Travellers were served a spicy Hennessy V.S.O.P Ginger cocktail and a Hennessy X.O Espresso Martini (the latter from Moët Hennessy’s global cocktail menu).
• Tastings with Local Pairings: In addition to cocktails, passengers could taste V.S.O.P and X.O neat or on the rocks, paired with local snacks (e.g. Singapore’s Hae Bee Hiam chili shrimp cookies) to bridge East–West flavors.
• Interactive Game & Prizes: A digital “reaction” game challenged visitors and offered a chance to win a Hennessy X.O 5cl miniature.
• Themed Gifts: Purchases at the pop-up came with festive freebies – traditional red packets (hongbao) and Hennessy-branded items such as a horse-head bottle stopper and a commemorative glass set. These gifts reinforced the holiday mood and rewarded buyers.

Each of these elements gave travellers a reason to linger and learn. The cocktails and tastings turned the duty-free shop into a mini bar, encouraging social sharing. The game and gifts provided fun incentives to interact. Altogether, the setup demonstrated the brand’s commitment to experience over mere promotion.

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Strategic Insights for Brand Leaders

From a marketing standpoint, Hennessy’s Changi activation exemplifies best practices in luxury travel retail: culturally resonant theming, retailer partnership, and experiential storytelling. As Travel Retail executives emphasize, Lunar New Year is “one of the most meaningful moments” for Cognac. Hennessy tapped that meaning by honoring the rare “Fire Horse” year (next occurring only in 60-year cycle) with a dynamic creative motif. Partnering with Lotte Duty Free (a known premium retailer) and Changi Airport Group provided operational support and prime location, ensuring maximum visibility in one of the world’s busiest hubs.

Analysts note that immersive, multi-sensory activations can build long-term brand equity. In his remarks, Hennessy’s travel-retail chief highlighted investment in “immersive storytelling and quality engagement” as a way to shape enduring brand impressions. Lotte’s director likewise commented that this pop-up is “a powerful example” of moving beyond transactions to create memorable traveler moments. Indeed, high-impact airports like Changi serve as launchpads: Hennessy’s Changi success will set the blueprint for similar Year of the Horse campaigns across Asia Pacific.

For C-suite readers, key takeaways include:

• Leverage Cultural Symbols: Align campaigns with local traditions. Hennessy used the horse (symbolizing energy and momentum) not just visually but through flavors and rituals. The branded artwork and limited-edition bottles spoke the language of the holiday.
• Partner Strategically: Collaborations with Lotte and Changi provided both credibility and reach. Their insider knowledge of traveler behavior helped design the experience. Other brands should similarly work closely with travel-retail partners who know the audience.
• Create Multi-Sensory Engagement: Combining taste (cocktails, snacks), sight (sculptures, décor), touch (gifts) and game mechanics kept travelers engaged longer than a passive display. Such interactivity often translates into higher recall and social sharing.
• Differentiate Through Scale and Story: While other Cognac brands ran smaller pop-ups (e.g. Martell’s T3 display), Hennessy’s larger scale at T1 (the airport’s primary transit terminal) gave it a competitive edge. Elevating the design (giant horse, photo-ops) signaled that this is a premium, not a minor, activation.
• Monitor Performance Metrics: Ideally, brands track both sales uplift (e.g. of the limited editions) and experiential metrics (dwell time, social media posts, customer feedback). While specific ROI isn’t public, travel-retail experts note that major festive events often coincide with double-digit sales boosts.

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Conclusion and Recommendations

Hennessy’s Year of the Fire Horse Changi pop-up stands as a benchmark for holiday retail activations. It combined authenticity (drawing on Chinese cultural motifs) with innovation (multi-sensory mixology and games) to create a memorable traveler experience. For brand owners and marketing executives, the lesson is clear: seasonal campaigns should go beyond displays to engage customers emotionally and interactively. When done well, as here, they reinforce brand story and can capture significant seasonal sales.

In planning your own campaigns, remember to link the thematic concept to local customs, partner with the right retailers, and invest in storytelling elements that invite participation. In Hennessy’s case, Changi’s endorsement and the campaign’s visibility helped maximize impact. Going forward, measuring metrics like limited-edition sell-through, visitor numbers, and social engagement will confirm the value of this activation. Other brands can learn from Hennessy’s approach to create their own standout festive moments in travel retail.